I started a "dirt notebook"
I love taking notes, but one problem that I have is that that I start cherishing every notebook that I start. I can't seem to keep my notes messy. Eventually, I start structuring the notes, doing cleaner handwriting, adding a cover or some stickers ... and before I know it, the notebook is too well-organised for simply scribbling into. This, of course, raises the hurdle for taking more notes and makes me start a new notebook, where the same process repeats again. It's a vicious circle. It won't surprise you that I'm somewhat enamored with the concept of shitty / messy notebooks, like this or this.
In an attempt to change this, I've started a dedicated "dirt notebook" now. I've nicknamed it "The Drainage Channel", because it's just a place for whatever is going through my head right in that moment. I'm using an old, empty notebook that I found lying around the other day. The paper quality is pretty bad; every kind of fountain pen ink bleeds through so I'm forced to use cheap ballpoints and it doesn't open flat, which makes it hard to take clean-looking notes in. I've been writing in it for about a week now, and it's been a lot of fun. I've used it to write down random quotes from podcasts that I've been listening to, ideas for stories, memos on my life and how I want to change it, new things that I learned or want to learn about more in the future ... with no elaborate structure, all just scribbled down next to each other. It's been interesting going back at the end of the week and re-discovering thoughts or things that I had almost forgotten about again.
My goal for now is filling this first "dirt notebook" and learning to embrace the messiness. Once I've gotten used to it, I could see myself switching to better paper and fountain pen ink again.